Mock draft watch: Kiper/McShay dueling Texans picks raise eyebrows

Mock draft watch: Kiper/McShay dueling Texans picks raise eyebrows

The concept of two pundits alternating picks in a mock draft always produces some interesting results. When they’re making picks they would do instead of trying to forecast what the team will do, all bets are off.

Kiper wound up with the first Texans pick at No. 25 overall in the first round, and his choice is an interesting one. With several attractive targets at positions of greater need than a one-dimensional edge rusher still on the board, Kiper picked UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley.

McKinley is a very good pass rusher, but the Texans don’t need to use a first-round selection to replace the departed John Simon. With glaring holes at right tackle and a quarterback to compete with Tom Savage, and with players like Ryan Ramczyk, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson all on the board, the pick simply makes zero sense.

Factor in McKinley’s recent shoulder surgery, a recovery which will keep him sidelined until at least the end of training camp, and it seems absurd.

Kiper also drew the Texans in the second round, and his selection of Pittsburgh QB Nathan Peterman is both sensible and quite realistic. His explanation paints a rosy picture of Peterman,

“Finally, another quarterback of the board. And it’s to the QB-needy Texans, who passed on one in Round 1. Peterman might be the most pro-ready signal-caller in this class.”

Suffice to say, Kiper could have waited at least a round to take Collins had they extended out their projections. The next player off the board is Texas A&M safety Justin Evans, a player ready-made to fill the role of Quintin Demps and a much better fit in Houston than Collins.

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